The Berliner Grundtheater e.V. (BGT) was founded in Berlin in 1991 and is dedicated to producing a wide range of English-language plays, while integrating players of different nationalities. In addition to playing many seasons in Berlin, the company has also performed at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival and at Anglo-German Festivals in Germany, and is now based permanently in Luxembourg.
The BGT repertoire includes shows by authors as varied as Peter Shaffer, Anthony Minghella, Oscar Wilde and William Shakespeare. The company also produces original scripts, such as adaptations of JANE EYRE (2010), LITTLE WOMEN (2014) and A CHRISTMAS CAROL (2016) and in January 2020 it premiered June Lowery's CHARLES DICKENS, THE BEST OF MEN; THE WORST OF MEN.
In recent years the company has focused on promoting young performers and traineee or aspiring actors who are hoping to work in theatre. It is a co-sponsor of FEST (The FESTIVAL OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE SCHOOL THEATRE) which takes place every second year in Luxembourg (https://www.fest.lu/) and in 2019 started a summer programme giving trainee actors a contract to work on a show. DAVID'S REDHAIRED DEATH by Sherry Kramer, scheduled for September 2020, is the second project in this programme.
Photo: © Alfonso Salgueiro Photography / www.alsalphotography.com
Presented by kind premission of Sherry Kramer
First preformed in 1992 "DAVID'S REDHAIRED DEATH" is a moving story of the love betwen two women ... and the way that one man's death can affect it. Jean and Marilyn are redheads. They are used to getting their own way and to using the mythical power of the "redhead" to have who or what they want. But when they meet each other they have met their matches. As they fall in love it seems they have found the partner ... and the sister .. they have always looked for.
Until David's death changes everything.
A moving mix of absurd comedy and heart-breaking tragedy, the play is a poignant and sensitive look at the way bereavement can change everything.
" ... I had learned that it is not the weight of our deaths, in the end, that is the hardest thing to carry. It is our regret. For all the steps we wanted to take, and didn't, towards someone we love".
"DAVID'S REDHAIRED DEATH" is the second play in the BGT's summer project to encourage young trainee performers. It follows the success of last years's "WOLVES ARE COMING FOR YOU". It is scheduled to play at the ISL Studio on
Thursday 10th & Friday 11th September at 19.00
& Saturday 12th September at 14.30 and 19.00
Tickets: 15 Euros (8 Euros students) Reservations: the.bgt.lux@gmail.com
With:
Laura Burman & Lara O'Donnell
Directed by Tony Kingston Assistant Director Tiara Partsch
Designer Ilaria Galeota
LEATSS 2020 Online – Summary of Courses
To replace our regular Summer School, which unfortunately has had to be cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic, LEATSS will be offering 9 online courses during summer school week, from 25th July to 2nd August. These courses are outlined below. Details will be published on our website, as well as biographies of the tutors.
The timetable is in the process of being put together and is intended to be published on 15th June, together with the costs for participants. Applications will be opened shortly after, as soon as the technical side of the website is adapted. The date for applications will be announced when the timetable is sent out. Each session will last for 90 minutes.
Tutor: Freddie Machin A Writing Retreat (writing) A reflection on writing for today, taking inspiration from the present times 13,5 hours over the whole period, 1 session per day plus individual writing work at home 5 to 15 plus participants
Tutor: Graeme Du Fresne The Karaoke Chorale (unison and part singing) Being creative, exploring singing technique and having fun 12 hours, from Monday 27th July to Saturday 1st August, 1 or 2 sessions per day 6 to 12 participants
Tutor: Graeme Du Fresne The Craft and Graft of Songwriting (songwriting for beginners and more) How to write your own song – and enjoy it 12 hours from Sat 25th to Friday 31st July, 1 and 2 sessions per day (not full-time online) 6 to 8 participants
Tutor: Kate Colgrave Pope Monologue Mash-up (acting) How to fully develop a character through exploring the intricacies of a monologue 6 hours per participant over both weekends, 1 session per day plus individual work at home 9 participants, working in groups of 3 (each group has 1 session per day)
Tutor: Janice Dunn 3-part course on musical theatre (acting, singing, performance) (courses can be taken separately)
1. Lip Synch Challenge Examining the skills and technique of lip synch (although really, developing character) 7,5 hours over one weekend, 2 and 3 sessions per day (not full-time online) 5 to 15 participants
2. Routine Creating and performing a short routine from a musical 1 to 2 sessions (depending on number of participants) over one weekend no limit to number of participants
3. Acting in Musicals Looking creatively at speeches and duologues from musicals 9 hours from Monday 27th to Friday 31st July, 2 sessions every 2nd day (not full-time online) 11 participants, ideally
Tutor: Janice Dunn The Collaborative Monologue (devising, acting) Devising a collaborative piece based on the story of a family or group of friends 15 hours over the whole period, 1 to 2 sessions per day 5 to 15 participants
Tutor: Mike McCormack The Best Pictures (Radio Drama) Practicalities and unique elements of creating audio drama 7,5 hours weekday evenings only, 1 session per day with additional individual work at home 5 to 15 participants
Courses will be run on Zoom. Two short introductions will be held in the week preceding summer school to ensure everyone is on the same technical page.
Looking forward to seeing you online and happy to answer any questions you might have,Graeme Du Fresne (Course Director) and John Brigg (Administrator)
